I’ve got King on my bikes. The oldest two sets are well over a decade old. In the four sets I’ve had, (currently 3) I’ve only snapped one rear axle. That’s the only parts I’ve used.

Edit: had Royce. Beautiful, the prettiest hub and a lovely loud almost campag like sound. But unreliable, went through bearings in months not years and I have a mate who cracked 3 hub shells with only light use

Peter thats bollox mate they run for ever !they do one dead posh tool that costs loads but you don’t actually need the thing to service the hub anyway .
Two years on a set and actually haven’t had to do much at all to them.

Tune! Have a set on my road bike. Recently cleaned and service the rear hub. Bearings still smooth and buttery after 7 years and well over 15000kms. Consider I weigh in at 106kg I can highly recommend the hubs.

I have kings on all my bikes, have done for years, the only special tools I’ve ever needed are a pair of Allen keys to get into them and relube them. They are all still good as new, covered a lot of miles and needed very little adjustment except for the little cone adjuster thing on the side which turns by hand. I’ve never had any call to replace the bearing in them and the bearings have always been superb.

That said, I’m not sure they are the be all and end all, i just prefer them. Phil woods are really good and I’d have no problem with Dt’s either. Royce look amazing too, i’d love to try some but I’m just not convinced about them. As far as functionality goes, something like an XT or Ultegra are great for the price

got a DT240 here with proper wibbly bearings or freehub that need replacing. to do it myself I’ll need a tool and I don’t feel confident about doing it either. to talk to the lbs about it, they just talk about the mechanic hating them and it being more expensive than buying a new hub or prefering world war 3. perhaps, if you know of stuff about hubs and have the tools a DT240 is great! and a runner forever? But as a hub fiddling pleb, it’s a less hassle to buy a deore hub and replace it than sort the 240. I can’t just pop the bearings in and out can I? or can you just “replace” the freehub?

I bought my rear for £240 new on offer about four years ago, from Stiff.

I also got the expensive tool eventually.

When I wanted to bolt my axel up, King did the parts (fun bolts), easy change
When I almost bought a frame that was 142mm x12mm thru axel, King did the parts, ok they were £80 but at least I could have still used my hub! I like the way it can grow with bike design changes, so far anyway.

I’ve “serviced” it once. It didn’t need it, once the inside was open, it was mint, after 3 years and 2 Alp trips.

The engagement is nice and swift, the noise is nice, although louder would be better.

I posted on here that I liked the hub but the RRP (then about £340) it wasn’t worth it. I still feel that way. If you find a reduced one, maybe it’s worth it.

Surly Singlespeed hubs here. Have been on a few years. Not had to open them up for any reason. Running a White Industries freewheel. I think they weigh more than the rest of the bike though.
I dont believe they fall in to the money no object category though. 🙂

I recall listening to the audio call-ins from the Tour Divide this year, & there was one pretty peed off chap who had to drop out of the race due to a King hub failing. 😕

I’d probably spec XTR if money was actually no object, but I’ve promised myself a wheelset with red hubs next time. 🙂